FEATURE: Mike Tedesco reviews 10/11 WWE Smackdown

Finally back in the saddle for another edition of my Smackdown thoughts. I wasn’t a huge fan of the way the show kicked off on Friday. Vickie Guerrero was in the ring first to talk about Big Show knocking out Triple H, but she was interrupted by Alberto Del Rio, who she booked in a match against John Cena at Hell in a Cell with Del Rio’s title on the line. Del Rio tried to weasel out of the match, and Vickie seemed like she was going to do it, as long as he performed certain tasks for her, like kissing her on the lips… like a Mexican… whatever that means. That dance that Vickie did while telling him to do that was quite disturbing, and one thing I will not be able to erase from my memory bank anytime soon. Damien Sandow was out next, and he was talking about how Del Rio is not acting like a champion by begging to be taken out of a match. Vickie then booked them in a match, and Del Rio blindsided Sandow.

It seems like they’re toeing the waters on a Damien Sandow face turn, and I’m fine with that, but at the end of the day, there were still three heels in the ring to kick off the show, and that doesn’t really create an exciting crowd atmosphere for those flipping through channels. If the crowd is sitting on their hands for this segment, why should anyone casually flipping through channels stick with the program? There wasn’t anything wrong with the segment – it just didn’t have any heat from the crowd, minus the part where Vickie was teaching Del Rio how to kiss.

Curtis Axel defending the WWE Intercontinental Championship against R-Truth was the first match up. I thought this was better than the match they had at WWE Battleground, but it’s still hard for me to care about either of these guys. R-Truth has always been a tough sell for me. Other than the “Little Jimmy” stuff, which has since gone the way of the Dodo, R-Truth hasn’t changed a thing about his gimmick since 2008. Talk about stale! Then you throw in Curtis Axel, the man with the personality of a pinecone, and you’re left with not much to get invested in. In the past, I’ve talked at length about Axel’s problems with character work, and they’re still ever-present. His trash talk is forced, his facial expressions are goofy, and he just doesn’t look like a guy who is a tough heel. Everything is wrong about him. It seems like WWE is finally realizing that because he seems to be being pushed aside so Ryback can take all of Paul Heyman’s attention. I think it’s only a matter of time before Axel is Shell Shocked right back to being a curtain jerker.

Los Matadores were in action against Los Locales, a team that featured Ricardo Rodriguez in a mask. I couldn’t tell who the other guy was. I really get a kick out of Los Matadores, particularly El Torito. I’m just going to say it – El Torito is adorable. I don’t care. It’s a midget dude dressed as a bull that runs through red sheets and bounces off the ropes. This is a team I’d love to see live just so I could get involved in the Olé chants. I always liked the way Primo and Epico worked as well. They’ve got a lot of ability and force you to care about their matches, much like the Usos did before they took off during their rivalry with The Shield.

What can I say about the Divas match? I’ll give them an “A” for effort, but I’m giving a big fat “F” to the production team that throws girls like Eva Marie and Cameron in the ring to wrestle when they’re so clearly not even the slightest bit close to being TV ready. I think there are corpses who have been less stiff than Eva Marie in the ring. They talk about her red hair being a symbol of the fire inside her, but you just don’t see that in her actions. The girl hasn’t even learned to properly emote yet. For the love of all that’s good and holy, why would they put her in the ring to embarrass herself like that? It doesn’t make any sense to me. Total Divas will be back in November. No one will forget about her in the meantime if you make her a manager. Now onto Cameron… they’ve even admitted on Total Divas that Cameron is not ready to do anything in a match. They said that she’s just not there yet. Even her partner said it on the show. Yes, the show is a worked reality, but that part was true. They weren’t faking that. It’s unbelievable how much a two and a half minute match can make me shake my head, and I haven’t even started on the problems with someone like Natalya who constantly does moves that are too advanced for the people she’s in the ring with, which makes everyone look bad. Forget it, I’ll be here all day.

Ok, although Del Rio and Sandow failed to get the crowd going in the opening segment, they had no problem with it during their match. That was a really good match between the two of them. Sandow looked really aggressive and more like a face than anything, and Del Rio was his usual good self. Since turning heel back in June, Del Rio has been solid as hell for the WWE with his matches. He never fails to get people invested in it and booing. Of course, his match work is always solid as well. He’s been a real MVP for them this year. He doesn’t get as much attention as some other people do on the shows, but he’s not only held that World Title for the better part of the year, he’s also always there for them when they need someone to chew up some time with a good match. He did a really good job in this match against Sandow. They made Sandow look good in defeat as Del Rio got him with a cheap shot in the injured knee from Sunday to pick up the win. I’m interested to see where the Sandow character goes from here.

I don’t have much to say about the six-man tag team match. Much like the divas, the fact that they continue to march The Great Khali out there when he can barely walk just boggles my mind. An appearance from Antonio Cesaro would have been much more appreciated in my view.

I really enjoyed the main event of the evening. Cody Rhodes and his brother Goldust are a hot act right now, and it was a lot of fun to see them matchup with The Wyatt Family. This is the first time I’ve seen Rowan and Harper in extended action since they arrived. They didn’t look bad at all. I like their style. There’s not finesse – they’re just going to maul you. Hell, they look like guys who would maul you in real life. Cody Rhodes looked great in that match. I never thought Rhodes would be in line for a big face push, but it is totally working out so far. He’s definitely on. Goldust was fantastic in the match as well. I can’t believe how good he’s been since his return. He wrestles every match like he has something to prove. Goldust is one hell of a worker, and he’s a lot of fun too. That perplexed look he was giving Erick Rowan when he was wearing the lamb mask was hilarious. Overall, this was a tremendous main event for a pretty decent show.

Bump of the Night: Cody Rhodes catching Erick Rowan with a cross-body from the top rope to the outside!Match of the Night: Alberto Del Rio vs. Damien Sandow ** 1/4

For even more Smackdown coverage, please take a listen to my radio show, “Wrestleview Telemundo,” along with my co-host, Anthony “Mr. V” Valvo. Also be sure to check out “The Teacher’s Lounge!” Not a VIP member? Click here to become one!

Thanks for reading!

Mike Tedesco is the official recapper of WWE Smackdown on Wrestleview.com.